Single Red Rose
by ShockingReality
Summary: There's a single red rose and a note waiting on Gwen's desk. GwenOwen.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Characters ain't mine. RTD still isn't taking my bribes.

A/N: I got bit by a plot bunny that wouldn't let go O There's five parts, all short, all already written. Owen's a tad OOC, I think, but I couldn't really work the story without it. Please review!

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Gwen stared at her desk in silent shock when she finally reached the hub. She'd had a bad morning so far – got up late, she'd skipped breakfast and then got stuck in traffic.

She'd dumped her bag by her desk and put her jacket on the back of her chair before seeing the envelope and red rose that were on her desk.

She had no doubt who it was from.

Owen himself was nowhere to be seen – probably hiding down in the autopsy room. But why? Why this? They had been finished for a long while now – her attention on him had dwindled after she found he'd slept with Suzie as well, and knowing about Diane now, she'd called it off.

Slowly sitting, Gwen reached for the rose. It was a deep, gorgeous red, the petals like silk. It certainly didn't look like one picked up cheap, at any rate.

Placing the rose back down, she picked up the envelope. He'd written her name carefully in black ink, a style of writing that she'd not known he could write. Then again, she'd never seen more of his writing than his scribbling notes on whatever it was he was working on.

She opened the envelope and slipped out a small piece of paper. She looked confused, her brows furrowing, before realising the writing was on the back. Four words.

_I'm sorry._

_Autopsy Room._

That confused her even more. Sorry? For what? She craned her neck to find out if she could see to the Autopsy Room, but she couldn't. Well, there was only one thing for it. She stood up and picked up the Rose, holding that and the letter in her hands, and started to walk with butterflies in her stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still ain't mine...

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It had taken a lot for Owen to write those four words. He wasn't a feelings kind of person – no, he preferred to keep his emotions bottled up inside. Life was easier that way – unfeeling, pretending you didn't care.

But this was driving him mad. The separation, the uncomfortable tension between them whenever they were working together – he hated it. He hated every bloody second of it.

That was why he'd written the letter in the first place, and why he was practically wearing holes in the floor as he paced up and down the Autopsy Room, hoping she would come.

Yet on the other hand, he was hoping she wouldn't. If she didn't turn up he would be forced to ignore what he was feeling and just… get on with life. And he would have tried, at least.

He didn't even know what he was going to say. Everything he thought up sounded too cheesy. The fact he was thinking of doing it in the first place was bad enough, but going through with it?

He was going mad.

His thoughts were stopped when the corner of his foot caught the trolley next to the autopsy table, and both he and it crashed to the floor with a noise that echoed throughout the hub. Owen swore loudly, and as the clanging and clattering stopped he heard a giggle that melted his heart and forced his head to snap around to look to the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Gwen made her way as quietly as possible, stopping at the top of the stairs to watch as he paced backwards and forwards. She was surprised at how stressed he looked; usually, Owen was Mr. Cool, Calm & Collected – so this was certainly a difference.

She was about to make her way down the stairs when he caught his foot and went crashing to the floor, followed by the trolley that he'd accidentally overturned. Thankfully, there were hardly any instruments out, so he had hardly anything to fall and hit him.

She couldn't help but giggle as he swore, and she realised he'd heard when he stiffened and then turned quickly to see her. His face was flushed slightly – she couldn't blame him, really – anybody would be embarrassed after that.

"You alright?" She asked, making her way down the stairs to help him right the trolley and put the few things back on it that had fallen.

"Yeah," he replied, scratching the back of his neck when the trolley was upright and they were stood in silence. "Gwen…"

She interrupted him. "What's this about, Owen? Why now?"

Why did he have to do this to her – just when she thought she was convinced that Rhys was her 'one true' – the man for her, the only one she needed, he had to go and turn her life back upside down and confuse her. Again. She'd got over him… so she'd thought.

He was looking uncomfortable again; she tried to relax a little, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"Gwen. You're just going to have to shut up, yeah? Let me get this out." He was stood close to her, and reached out, gripping her wrist, staring at her face.

She closed her eyes at the contact, before opening them to give the smallest of nods.


	4. Chapter 4

When Gwen nodded, Owen exhaled. He let go of her wrist and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking down to the floor.

"Right, so…"

"Look at me." Gwen interrupted again, stepping forwards and tipping his chin up to force his gaze onto hers. His stomach somersaulted and he mentally cursed it. What was it about her that did this to him? Her hand dropped but he continued to gaze into her eyes.

"I know we were finished, Gwen, but… I can't… it's too hard…" He was stumbling, but he knew Gwen understood. She knew how well he closed off his emotions. This was exactly why… so he didn't fall. What if there was nobody to catch him?

"I miss you." He said it strongly, with feeling, and then fell silent, holding her gaze. Trying to figure out the river of emotions that were probably crashing through her, and hoping – praying – that she was not just going to walk away from him.


	5. Chapter 5

_I miss you._

Those words echoed through her mind, over and over. Making her heart beat harder as she stared at him for a minute that seemed like an hour.

But as soon as those words had erupted from his mouth, her heart had made its decision.

"I've missed you too, Owen."

She closed the distance between them, lips pressed together for a fleeting moment before he pulled away to look up at him, to try and read the expression on his face.

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He was stunned. She hadn't rejected him. Hadn't walked away.

His lips tingled as she drew away to look up at him, and he sensed that she wanted to say something.

"You have to understand, Owen… I love Rhys. I can't leave him."

Owen nodded. It didn't mean he liked it, didn't mean he wouldn't feel jealousy rising when he knew that they were together, but he could bear it. Just.

"And I have one question."

Owen gazed at her questioningly. "What?"

"Did you love Diane?" It was spoken softly, so softly he almost had to strain to hear it. So she had known. Not that it was any surprise.

"Yes. I loved her." He answered her truthfully. She knew the answer already; just wanted to hear it confirmed.

"So you have to understand why I can't leave Rhys. You loved Diane like I love him. You wouldn't have left her for me, I know that. And I understand, because Rhys is my life and I love him. But you…" She paused, her eyes searching his. "You get into my thoughts when I don't want you there. I think of the things you do to me. I think of what you make me feel. And suddenly… it's like nothing else matters."

And Owen pressed her back to the wall, capturing her mouth as he kissed her with a hunger. And as soon as he'd done it, he'd pulled away, his face hovering mere inches from hers.

"Love you too, Gwen…"

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A/N: This story is now completed! Hope you enjoyed it! I loved writing it so much that I have started on a sequel – so keep your eyes peeled! ;)


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